- Date
- July 26, 1995, 15:20 local (19:20 UTC)
- Place
- N. Myrtle Beach, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N3036MPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950726021659A
- Case key
- 3606
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The improper starting procedure used by the pilot in that he failed to use wheel chocks to preclude aircraft movement. Additionally, the throttle was not placed in the idle position.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The aircraft had been stopped adjacent to the runway while the pilot switched the tow hook to continue his banner towing operation. The banner handling personnel were about 1/4 mile down the runway. The pilot was in the process of starting the engine by 'hand propping', because the airplane was not equipped with an electric starting system. There were no chocks in the aircraft to 'brake' the wheels, and the throttle was partially advanced. Once started, the aircraft taxied away from him, and collided with a ditch, resulting in substantial damage.
Factual narrative
On July 26, 1995, about 1520 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-12, N3036M, collided with a ditch, following a rapid engine acceleration, during hand starting by the pilot, at North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The airplane was operated by Barnstormers Flite Signs, Inc. under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. No flight plan was filed for the local banner tow operation. There were no injuries to the commercial pilot, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot had stopped the airplane about 1/4 mile from the operator's banner handling personnel to change hooks. The operator stated that chocks should have been in the airplane to accommodate "hand propping," since the airplane is not equipped with an electrical/starting system. There were no chocks in the airplane at the time of the accident. The operator also stated that the throttle was not in the idle position, and when the engine started the airplane taxied away from the pilot and into a ditch.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3036M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-1581
- Airframe hours
- 4,000
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Barnstormer Flite Signs, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 25, 1994 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- CRE
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- CRE · Grand Strand
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 26
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 700 total · 75 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CRE
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3036M · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.